Beast And The Beauty
by OnceUponATasmin
Summary: Rumple concocts a potion that allows he and Belle to temporarily swap bodies so she can truly understand what it is like to be him, and he her.
1. Chapter 1

**~ Rumple ~**

"Belle, why can't you understand?" I asked her, frustration growing.

"Understand what?" She retorted. "Why you value power, power that you do not actually need, over everything else in this world? Over me?"

"But it is not that simple. If you possessed magic of your own then I am sure that you would understand. Please, Belle, believe me when I say that you need to experience it for yourself to form a valid opinion on it."

"But I do not want to experience it, that is the difference between you and I. I do not desire to be corrupted, I like myself as I am."

"So do I, Belle. I love you for who you are but..." I paused, having a sudden realisation. "What would you say if I had a solution to this problem, that I had a temporary way for you to walk in my shoes, to see things from my point of view?"

"And how would you do that? I refuse to become a Dark One, if that is what you are suggesting." She replied, skeptical.

"Don't worry, dearie, that is not what I was suggesting. Not quite. What I was thinking was that we concoct a body swapping potion – that my mind goes into your body, and yours goes in mine. And my body will of course retain all of my magic. This is the only way that you can experience what it is like to truly be me."

"And how long would this potion last, exactly?"

"Twenty four hours exactly."

"You want me to be in possession of your magic for such a lengthy timespan? Is that really wise?"

"I see no problem with it. After all, I may be defenseless but I'll be defenseless in your body and everyone knows that you are no threat to anyone. And you will be safe in my body because people usually flee at the sight of me because of my wonderful reputation."

"But what if someone gets brave and decides to challenge you? I have little experience in wielding magic, you know this, and I would rather not get you killed – accidentally or otherwise."

"I understand that but that is why I will not just let you galavant off without a magic lesson or two. I am no fool. I know that even though you are incredibly intelligent, having magic of your own is something that you are unaccustomed with so you will need aid."

"I see." She answered, after a few seconds of mulling it over. "But are you sure that it will be safe? What if it goes awry and we are trapped in each other's bodies forever."

"Belle, honestly, do not overthink this. I am adept in potion making and you know this. I have never gone wrong yet so trust that I never will. So, what do you say? Do you want to partake in this experiment? It is entirely up to you, I respect your wishes."

 **~ Belle ~**

Rumple did not fully realise this but his idea terrified me. Yes, I knew that he had not gone wrong yet but saying that aloud only served to tempt fate. And besides, cockiness usually led to one's downfall. I knew this quite well. And as much as I loved him, I did not want to be him. I liked the fact that I wasn't a mixture of man and monster. It would not suit my personality at all.

But he did make a good point. Doing this swap would help me realise what living as him would be like, more so than simply asking questions would achieve but that still did not help steady my nerves. I do not think that anything truly would. But I had not gotten this far in life by being a coward and backing out of things.

I was a strong woman and I needed to be strong now. I needed to push my fears aside and take up Rumple's offer. If it helped strengthen our relationship then it was completely worth it.

"Yes, Rumple. I wish to carry out your idea."

"Well then, dearie, I'll get brewing." Rumple replied before dashing off to collect the ingredients needed.


	2. Chapter 2

**~ Belle ~**

I watched Rumple mix the ingredients with growing dread. He seemed to have a mixture representing each and every colour on the spectrum. But I dare not question what each one actually consisted of. Some things were better left unsaid. So instead of focusing on the ingredients, I decided to focus on the man himself.

His features were glowing with glee, looking absolutely in his element. But this was understandable because he was. Rumple adored magic and nothing could change that. This was exactly where our problems began.

I had never possessed magic nor have I wanted to. I knew what it did to even the most purest of hearts. Whether it be light or dark, it usually decays one, one way or another. Wielders of white magic who grow more and more powerful want this to continue so when they are at the peak of their light abilities, they turn to the darkness and those who begin in the darkness just sink in further and further until there was no chance of salvation. And this is what I believed would happen to Rumple, that I would be unable to save him from himself. If it was not too late already.

This is the sole reason why I agreed to his proposition. If I truly understood him then I would know exactly how to save him. But, if I could not, if there was not even a minuscule chance of bringing him back into the light then tough decisions would have to be made. Such as those regarding our future together. And, maybe, after being in my position, him understanding me, he would try to change, for my benefit.

But, if not, if he does not find me worthy of wanting to change for, then maybe walking away was the best option for me, despite the smitten side of my mind refusing to accept this.

Thankfully, I did not have to dwell on this much longer because Rumple had jumped out of his seat, waving his arms in triumph.

"It is complete! Drink up, dearie!" He ordered.

I reluctantly took a sip and he did the same.

This was it, I thought to myself worriedly, but it was too late to back out now. All I could do was wait for the potion to take effect. A few seconds, which seemed far longer, had passed but no change had occurred. This led me to wonder whether he had succeeded after all but I had no sooner thought that when I felt a stabbing pain in my stomach and suddenly felt light headed.

My body decided to completely malfunction on me and I ended up blacking out.

 **~ Rumple ~**

Worry flashed through my mind when I saw Belle suddenly collapse but I knew that I could not help her. The potion had been far stronger than I had estimated, it seemed, but I was fine. But then again, I was used to magic - both the weak and stronger variety - she was not, as she enjoyed boasting.

I knew that the swap was about to occur, I could feel it in my very essence, so I sat down on the wooden floor, closed my eyes, and waited.

It was only mere seconds later when I opened my eyes once more. I clambered to my feet, absentmindedly brushing dust and whatever else off of my dress. Yes, a dress. Wearing this garment felt strange yet...I felt as though I could get used to it, given time. My regular attire was far more constrictive than this. This was...freeing.

It felt bizarre staring down at myself – or my body, at least – knowing that someone else entirely was in control of it. Despite my love for Belle, I felt a pang of fear at that thought. There were many whose ultimate dream would be to control me and eventually destroy me, I knew this. And that is what worried me.

But it was only for twenty four hours and if we stayed out of too much trouble then all should go well. Or so I hoped. But I did not need to worry if I did not let my emotions carry me away. After all, I had told Belle that I would teach her some of my tricks and she might not be particularly powerful in regards to brawn, but she possessed brains that put most people's to shame. I needed to believe in her, like she did me. It was only fair, after all.

I honestly did not know what to make of my appearance. But I hoped that Belle could see just how beautiful she really was, as stunning as I thought she was. I did not need anyone to tell me that she was far out of my league, I knew this well, but that did not mean that I would give up on her. On the both of us.

I admired my – her – appearance in a large, antique mirror. Her innocence and goodness radiated from her, despite an evil creature like me taking temporary residence inside of her.

I wondered what she thought of my appearance but thought that asking was unwise. If I do not desire to know the answer to a question because I might dislike it then I do not ask it in the first place. Unless necessary.

However, she must think that I'm a little good looking because otherwise why would she want me? Because of my sparkling personality? But these were yet more questions that I would never ask.

 **~ Belle ~**

"Rumple?" I murmured upon opening my eyes. But I was not greeted by the sight of Rumple, rather the sight of myself. This confused me for a few seconds until I remembered what exactly had occurred. I was in his body now, for twenty four hours, at least. This was probably the most unwise choice that I had made but I needed to power through my fear.

After all, what was I afraid of exactly? Rumple was the vulnerable one in this circumstance, not I. I was completely safe from everything, for once. And despite everything, this thought calmed me. Perhaps some forms of magic were not quite as bad as I had assumed.

 **~ Rumple ~**

"Having fun admiring your new body?" I asked, with a forced smile, trying to calm my own chaotic thoughts.

"Of course...dearie." She replied, grinning, and this time my own smile was real.


	3. Chapter 3

**~ Belle ~**

"...So, that is how you channel magic. It is one of the very first things that I teach my students, Regina included." Rumple droned on, in his best teacher voice.

Not that I was saying that he was a poor teacher, far from it. And I should not really use the word 'droned' in regards to me learning something. I adored gaining knowledge, after all. But this was different. And besides, he was hardly droning. In fact, he sounded more excited by the prospect of teaching me than anything else we had come across together.

I was unsure whether to be offended or not by this fact but decided upon the latter. Magic was woven into his very essence and I could not change this fact. Either I had to accept it or everything would fall to pieces.

This thought gave me renewed passion in regards to magic. Whether I wanted any or I was frightened by it or not, I needed to dive in head first. For the sake of everything. But that was where a small problem lay. I'm more of a theoretical kind of woman. I relied on logic more than emotions as a rule. But then again, it was the opposite in regards to Rumple so why should it be any different in regards to his magic and magic in general?

But this posed a problem (for me, at least) because, to successfully wield magic, you had to be the opposite. You needed to feel rather than contemplate. And this was difficult for me. I was set in my ways and I knew this but change did not come easy. I guess that Rumple and I were alike in that sense.

Then another thought entered my head. Rumple had taught many people magic, even before I came into existence, I guessed. Who were his best students and what tactics did they use to aid themselves in spellcasting? Perhaps if I knew then I could help.

"Rumple?" I asked, feeling a little nervous.

I had been stuck in my own thoughts for the past few minutes so my sudden interruption must have came as a surprise to him.

"Yes, dearie?" He answered, no doubt curious.

I was unsure how to broach the topic tactfully so decided to take the route of bluntness.

"Who was your favourite student?"

"Excuse me?" He replied, clearly not expecting such a question.

"Oh, come on, Rumple! You must have one! You have taught many people, after all. Cora, Regina...I know for a fact that the list is expansive even though I do not know many of the people upon it. So tell me, who was your favourite or if you refuse to divulge that then simply tell me who was the best. I must know!" I said, desperation seeping into my tone.

"And you wish to know this why?" Rumple asked, sounding defensive, in my opinion.

"I wish to know this because I need advice on how to do as you have asked." I answered, feeling a tad annoyed by his tone. "To channel magic. I know that the problem lies with me. I am struggling to access your deep well of magic and it is frustrating me more so by the minute. However did you have the patience to get more adept in this art yourself? I would have given up long ago." I added, in complete honesty.

"But Belle..." He began, sounding like his normal self again. "You have something that I did not have. Something exceedingly important."

"And what might that be?" I asked, curious.

"You have me." He answered, before laughing.

"I know this." I said, attempting to ignore his strangely high spirits. "But as I said, I need outside help. I need to know how otherwise ordinary people manage to become powerful. Because that is all I am when it comes down to it. I am ordinary."

 **~ Rumple ~**

I could not help but scoff at her comment. Ordinary? Belle? She was far from it. Despite everything, she was still a naïve young woman. Her innocence touched me and irked me simultaneously. She heard my laughter and wrinkled her nose in disgust. She was angry with me so I needed to diffuse the situation as quickly as possible. But how should I word it?

If I was being completely honest, as much as I hated to do so since a little deceit is healthy, I do not believe that I would even have a definite answer as to who was my favourite student. They all had differing strengths and weaknesses and, besides, I saw each one as a means to an end.

They were my puppets and I needed to control them carefully to properly pave the path to my future, a future that I would revel in. A future in which I came out on top. In which I was perfectly content. I had been on this road for a long while now and happiness was almost in grasping distance. There was just one obstacle left to overcome – Belle's disdain for magic.

This is why our body swap was so important. I only had twenty four hours to make her understand magic and its incredible qualities and I was worried that it would not be anywhere near enough time. But maybe if she dipped her dainty toes (or not so dainty since she was in possession of mine now) into the water, so to speak, a small taste would be enough to change her mind entirely.

Or so I desperately hoped.

I knew that she would be able to wield magic, despite her objections, if she just cleared her mind from all of those niggling fears that no doubt resided in there and trusted in her emotions. And in me.

I would never steer her wrong, no matter how treacherous things became and I truly wanted her to understand this. Because it was vital. This was not just a one sided relationship. If the trust was not there on both sides, chaos would ensue.

I knew that I could dip my next words in honey to make them come across all the sweeter but I knew that that would not work. Not with Belle's current mood. So I decided to be blunt. Even if she thought my words were sharp, I knew that she would rather hear them this way than any other.

"Belle..." I began. "I am going to be honest with you. If my words are too harsh and sting you then I'm sorry but they need to be said. I cannot compare you with my other students because..."

"Because what?" She interrupted, cheeks reddening.

"Because I did not particularly care for any of them. I used them for my own twisted purposes. This time is different because it's the complete opposite of scenarios. I care for you, I love you, and I do not want you to learn magic so I can manipulate you but rather to heal some of the wounds in our relationship..."

And then my complete honesty triggered an idea in my head and I knew exactly how to help her. Since I was going about things the opposite way with Belle then my methods must be changed to suit that as well.

I took a deep breath before explaining. "Forget everything that I have told you thus far that has not aided you in any way. I have a simple trick that will hopefully get you to the mental place you need to be to do what I ask you to."

"And what is it?" Belle asked, curiosity overtaking her frustration.

"You see, dearie, with my other students, I told them to channel their rage. To think of times where they were so furious that they wanted revenge on all those who ever got in their way in whatever form. But I know that you do not harbour such an emotion, you are far too kindly for that...please, do not interrupt..." I added, seeing that Belle was about to object. "...So I need to use other methods. One to match your unwavering positivity.

Instead, I want you to imagine a flame. A small one will do considering the fact you are a novice. But, whereas I would instruct others to draw from negative memories and envision the flames as a way of destroying people or objects, I want you to think of good memories of fire. Ones containing me. For example, when you read your favourite books aloud to me as we lay beside the antique fireplace, the flames dancing and casting shadows upon us. Think of it clearly and..."

 **~ Belle ~**

Whoosh!

I had focused on Rumple's voice, imagining what he had wanted me to and enormous flames suddenly leapt out of my hands. I jumped in fright but the fire did not hurt in the slightest.

I glanced over at Rumple (or myself, rather) and his expression was priceless. I had never seen him grace such a look of utter shock in any form that I had ever seen him in and it made me giggle.

 **~ Rumple ~**

I was shocked, to say the least. I had been expecting a tiny spark dancing in the palm of her hand, not an inferno streaming out of them both. She definitely had a knack for magic, no matter what she said. And, if she could access my stocks as easily as that, there was a great deal of merrymaking to be had. These next twenty plus hours would go far more interestingly than I had imagined.


	4. Chapter 4

**~ Rumple ~**

After Belle's enormous success with the flame, I decided to test her abilities with the other elements – water, earth, and air. She mastered the basics of each one with relative ease. Yes, she had struggled in the beginning but once she got the hang of it, she was on a roll and I was incredibly proud of her.

With each success, I increased the difficulty of my requests and she attacked each one with vigour. For someone who had originally claimed to be against using magic, Belle now became more excited with each task she completed. And if I was able to change the opinion of someone as stubborn as Belle, maybe I could convert everyone. Although, that would not be wise.

After all, if everyone could wield powerful magic then I would have far too much competition and threats. There were many people who would snuff out my existence if they were able to do so, after all. It would be best for me if I remained one of – if not the most – powerful magicians in this land and preferably all others.

"Rumple, this is amazing!" Belle announced, between giggles.

"I am glad you are enjoying yourself, dearie!" I replied.

And in all honesty, I truly was. An idea had entered my head, one most pleasant, one which I did not wish to let go of. Since Belle was so thrilled with her temporary magic abilities, why not help her make them permanent? The very thought of fighting side by side with her was tantalising beyond belief.

I would no longer need to protect her, to shield her from this cruel world. Not that I was implying that she was defenseless in her current state because that was far from accurate. She was strong willed but despite her inner strength, she was more of a scholar than a fighter. This was not necessarily a terrible thing, I loved her as she was, but if I knew that having her own source of magic would ensure her safety then a heavy weight would be lifted from my mind. Because I honestly could not bear losing her. I had lost too much already.

 **~ Belle ~**

Conjuring the flame had been exciting enough but as Rumple taught me more and more, my excitement levels rose. He was teaching me how to control the other elements, besides fire. I combined water and air abilities to cause a downpour before waving my hand and bringing the sunshine back. I used earth abilities to create holes in the ground.

But his lessons were not limited simply to nature. He also taught me how to summon and use magical objects. At first, I questioned him what a sword had to do with magic but he answered my question simply. In fact, he answered all my queries simply. Not because he thought that I lacked intelligence, rather because he wanted to be understood quickly. I understood his reasoning. After all, the hours were ticking by. Soon I would be back in my own body, and Rumple in his.

I felt a pang of sadness at this thought, which was astonishing. I had never really been a fan of magic and had been against acquiring those powers originally but now I did not wish to lose them. I was having far too much fun. What I had been taught thus far did not bring harm to others so I reasoned with myself that I was doing no wrong. Rumple had even gone to the lengths of teaching me things that he himself knew but never wished to use – such as making flowers bloom. Something else I enjoyed was the teleporting. I may enjoy a nice long walk on occasion but even I could not deny its usefuleness.

I was seriously considering sharing my feelings with Rumple, that I thoroughly enjoyed using magic and would like to still practise it, even when I had returned to my own form. But then his lessons turned darker, less innocent.

"Belle, I must say that you have excelled in every task that I have assigned to you, which pleases me greatly. In fact, you are on the road to becoming my best ever student which in itself is an amazing feat, considering I don't ever have favourites. Well done on becoming my first, dearie."

I could not help but blush at Rumple's comment. If only I were near a mirror or another reflective surface. Rumple rarely blushed so it would be interesting to see what him doing so looked like.

Before I could continue pondering on this, Rumple continued to speak.

"So now that you have the magic which can be considered as good – such as that of the faeries – down, I shall introduce you to my own brand. And yes, I know that you are against all that can be considered as 'evil' but if you alter your perspective a tad, is it truly as evil as you first assumed? Definitely not.

And, if you wish to continue wielding magic, there is a lesson of great importance that I need to teach you. How to control others."

"Control others?" I asked, and my disgust must have been evident in my tone because Rumple's expression changed, displaying an emotion I did not quite recognise, before returning to normal within the space of a few seconds.

"Yes. Controlling others is one of the methods you can use to protect yourself. This is why it is an important ability."

"But I do not wish to control others." I protested.

"I see." Rumple answered. "Then I will show you its other uses."

"How so?" I asked, intrigued. "You have no magic currently."

"I do not require any. Follow me." He said, as he walked away.

"Wait for me!" I said, as I followed.

However, I did not need to make that remark because I caught up to him easily. His attire was far more easy to move around in than my own, it must be said.

Rumple stopped abruptly, staring straight ahead. We were in a village, one that I had never been to before even though Rumple appeared to recognise the place. I could not help but wonder why he had brought me here. I would soon find out.

Inbetween the ramshackle houses, villagers darted to and fro, washing clothes and themselves and more besides. It was a view into peasant life. Even though I had experience in being a servant – thank you, Rumple! - I had been born into a higher class family so I was not accustomed to this way of living.

As I glanced around, nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary so my curiosity over Rumple's motives returned. But then I heard it.

"Fool!" The gruff voice shouted, being easily heard over the hustle and bustle of village life. "I told you not to wash these clothes in the river. Now they are no better than rags! Is that what you wanted, boy?"

"N-n-no, f-father." Came a shaky, squeaky voice.

"Father? We may be bound by blood but you are no son of mine. This is the last straw!" He roared.

I spotted him as he grabbed a boy – his poor son – by the throat and dragged him away. The man was as monstrous in appearance as he had sounded. In contrast, the boy appeared to be small and scrawny.

I could not take my eyes off of them as they moved further and further away from the village.

"So, dearie, shall we follow them? We've come this far, after all."

Rumple's comment made me jump. I had been so focused on the scene ahead that I had forgotten all about him.

"Follow?" I asked, taken aback.

"Yes, follow. You want to save the poor boy from his father's wrath...do you not?"

"Of course!" I answered, without hesitation. "But where is their destination?"

"Is that not obvious? Think about it."

"Rumple, this is no time to be cryptic." I commented, feeling angry. "We don't have time to waste."

"Fine." He answered with a sigh. "They're going to the river."

"I'm glad that you told me, but...how did you know?"

"I have my ways." He said, with a wink. "Let's go!" He called before dashing off again, me in tow. I must say that he is quite adept at running with a dress on. I respected that.

 **~ Rumple ~**

I knew that this village would come in handy at some point. I had enchanted it years ago for an occasion just like this. Even though body swapping with Belle had been a spur of the moment decision, I had considered doing this or something similar long before. And so I had taken precautions. There was a huge risk that once I mentioned my special magic – or 'dark' magic, I supposed that it could be called - that she'd cower away and shun magic entirely, taking us back to square one. That was where this village came in. I may not have been in my Dark One form but I always had a trick (or twenty) up my sleeve. Even residual magic would activate this vision, making the odds in my favour.

Because that is all it was. Everything around us appeared real but it was not. Soon I, with Belle close behind, would reach the river where we would see the cruel father holding his son's head under the water, attempting to drown the wretch. Calling him as such may seem harsh of me but as I said, it was an illusion. A convincing one, maybe, but that changed nothing. And anyway, I didn't view the father as much better. Actually, he was worse. I knew what it was like to have an awful father, after all, so I guess that I should have been more sympathetic in regards to the son. If it were real, that is.

But, even though they were not real, they were still able to be controlled which was the crux of my plan. I wanted Belle to use magic, to control the father to stop him from murdering his son. And once she achieved this, she would then believe that this skill did not always have to be used in 'bad' ways, that she could use it for good. That was the only way to get her on side.

We reached the water in record time even though there was no need to hurry. But Belle was unaware of this and I did not wish to do anything to make her suspect anything.

Belle gasped as she saw the scene at the river's edge, and I put on my best shocked face. Luckily for me, I was adept in faking emotions. I'd had years to practise. Inside I was eager to see how she'd react to my test. I had a feeling that she would do exactly as I predicted. Now I would find out.

 **~ Belle ~**

I was horrified by the scene I saw before me. The burly man was drowning his own son in the river. I needed to help before it was too late but I was unsure how. I had no strength or powers, after all, that was more Rumple's domain—and whose body was I currently residing in? I chided myself for my own stupidity. My excuse was that I was not accustomed to possessing magic of my own so I needed to be reminded but it sounded feeble, even to my own ears. But how would I do it? I knew that I could control the elements but I was unsure what I would od with them. My usually quick thinking mind had been overcome by sheer terror.

Should I part the water so the father would be unable to drown the poor child? Should I summon a weapon and fight that way? But no, that would be most unlike me. I didn't want either of them dead, I just wanted the boy safe. Fortunately for me, Rumple had the answer.

"You konw what you should do, don't you?" Rumple asked.

"No, I do not. I'm torn. I need your help, Rumple."

"You need my help, dearie? Are you sure of that?" He asked, with emphasis on the 'my.'

"What do you mean by that?"

"You are the one with the magic now, after all, not me. And consider what we were discussing, mere minutes ago."

"Do you mean about controlling others? I refuse to kill him, if that is what you are implying. And besides, you told me about using it to protect myself, I am not the one in danger."

"I did indeed say that but isn't protecting others by extension protecting oneself? After all, if you did not do so when you could, wouldn't you become so wracked with guilt that you'd be unable to function properly any more?"

"Well...that is true..." I mused.

"Exactly. So protect yourself – and the boy – by taking control of the father."

"But what shall I control him to do?"

"Baby steps, dearie. First you need to control his body and make him loosen his grip on the child."

"Okay." I said, feeling unsure of myself.

I knew that this was the right thing to do but still it felt...wrong. But I had no other choice. I could not allow this innocent boy to perish because of my own choices. I needed to act. Now.

"How do I gain control?" I asked.

"This is not a particularly difficult thing to do but you need to make me a promise."

"A promise?" I asked, confused. "What promise?"

"You need to promise that you will obey every command of mine without question. If not, I will not help you."

"But Rumple!"

"But nothing. I care not for this child's life, you do. Therefore you should make your choice and make it quickly."

"Fine." I said, peeved by Rumple's behaviour. "I promise."

"Okay then. Rip out his heart."

"Excuse me?" I asked, aghast.

"No questions." He replied bluntly.

"But Rumple!"

"You won't kill him, dearie. Just hold his beating heart in your hand and he will obey you completely."

"But nothing. I'll provide a distraction so you can get close to him."

"But-"

"Hey, you there!" Rumple shouted.

The man's head swivelled around instantly.

"Who are you?" He grunted.

"No one important." Rumple replied. "Who are you?"

As he said this, he beckoned me with his head to move. So I did.

Whilst he and Rumple were conversing, his attention had been completely diverted from the boy. This could work in my favour. Instead of having to kill him, I could simply rescue the boy and take him with us to freedom. So I deviated from the plan.

Unfortunately, even though it did not appear as though he had retained his iron grip on the boy, appearances can be deceiving and, in this case, they really were. As soon as I started tugging, his attention moved to me.

I could hear Rumple shouting at me but could not make out the words, my heart was beating so loudly in my chest. The man was now entirely focused on me. Any minute now, he would crush me to a pulp. Unless...

Even though I did not like the prospect of tearing out someone's heart, regardless of whether it would kill them or not, it was all I could do. So, as he advanced on me, I flung my hand at him, burying it in his chest. I closed my eyes whilst doing it, willing the heart to come free without causing death. I withdrew the heart with an enormous sigh of relief. I had done it.

What I saw surprised me. I was expecting his heart to be red as they should be, but this one was mostly black. That probably said a lot about his character. But I could not afford to dwell on that. I had work to do.

Even though I had never done this before, it turned out to be far easier than I had ever expected. But I did not know what that said about magic, or even me.

"Release the boy." I whispered, clutching the heart.

The man obeyed immediately, letting the boy go. He landed with a splash.

"Are you all right?" I asked, concerned, as he waded back on to land. He looked pale and weak and he was absolutely drenched but he was alive, at least.

"Go!" Rumple shouted to the boy.

"B-but father..." The boy began to protest.

"He almost killed you!" Rumple replied. "You are better off without him!"

"But!"

"Go, child." I said, softly. "Think of how he'll react once he's back in control of himself."

The boy did not need to be told twice and scurried away.

"What shall we do with him?" I asked.

Rumple opened his mouth to answer then abruptly paused. He then looked up at the sky, a grin forming on his face.

"What?" I questioned.

But he made no answer.

"Rumple?" I repeated. "What shall we do?"

"Kill him."

"No." I said.

"Yes." He replied.

"But..."

"But what? This man deserves ot die, you know this as well as I..."

"Well, I refuse..." I began, feeling uneasy by Rumple's tone.

"You refuse? Who said anything about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"What time do you think it is?"

"What do you-" I began, then realisation dawned. My time must almost be up.

Once I had returned to my own body, Rumple would be back in control and this man would definitely die. And, despite his cruelty, I wanted him to live. That was a flaw of mine, one which I intended to keep. It separated me from the monsters.

And that is exactly what Rumple was. A monster. No matter how much I denied it, it was the absolute truth. A monster who was used to getting his own way. But this time I would deny him of that. Or try my best to, at least.

"Rumple." I said, tone severe.

"Yes, dearie?" He answered, a smirk still on his lips.

"If you kill this man, that is it. I am leaving you. And I will never return."

Irritation flashed across his features. "But, dearie..."

"But nothing." I answered, firmly. "You are not the only one who can be in control, you know. Whilst I have power, I'm going to use it. As a matter of fact, I was beginning to understand why you loved magic so much, because of the wonderful things you could accomplish with it. But then you reminded me of the darker side, the side that almost lured me in but which I managed to escape from before it was too late.

Despite everything, Rumple dearie, I have indeed learned something."

"Which is?" He asked, curious.

"That I was correct all along. Magic corrupts. It might do it quickly to some, but slowly and stealthily to others. The latter was true in my case. I never even realised that it was happening to me and I am considered intelligent by most.

And, yes, you opened my eyes to a new way of living but the price of doing so was too much for me to pay. So I want to return all of this power back to its original owner – you. I may be plain and ordinary without magic but I am completely fine with that. At least I tried."

"Belle..."

"Rumple." I replied. "Even though I am still against magic, I am not against you. With that much power comes a lot of responsibility and whereas I could not handle that burden personally, you clearly can, even though your decisions and methods can be questionable at times."

"Thank you, Belle." Rumple said softly, surprising me.

"Thank you for what?"

"Thank you for finally understanding."

"Thank you for showing me a true insight into your mind."

"Let go of the heart, lay down, and close your eyes."

"Why?"

"We'll be changing forms soon and I'd rather you fell unconscious comfortably than falling to the ground and causing damage to your body."

"I see." I answered, before obeying.

I had barely set my head on the ground when darkness overtook me...

 **~ Rumple ~**

I awoke, the last thing I remembered was watching Belle – in my body, of course – fall unconscious. As I got up, I spied myself in the river's reflection, the man now nowhere to be seen, as expected. I was myself again. Good ol' Rumplestiltskin – in body and mind. I could feel the tingly feeling of magic in my fingers. I had missed this.

"Rumple?" Belle murmured, rubbing her eyes.

"Yes, dearie?" I asked, as I pulled her to her feet.

"Can we go home?" She asked.

"Yes, of course." I answered, offering her my hand.

And so we strolled through the forest, back to our castle, hand in hand. It had been an eventful day and now we needed a proper rest.


End file.
